Tang Liu Liguan's Stele of the Profound Secret and Its Calligraphy Style

Author: Qian Shaomin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Liu Gongquan (——), styled Chengxuan, was a native of Huayuan, Jingzhao. As he held the position of Taizisi (Vice President of the Imperial Academy), he was also known as "Liu Shaoshi" by later generations. Liu Gongquan was known for his love of learning from a young age and was hailed as a child prodigy. In the first year of the Yuanhe era (0), at the age of twenty-nine, he passed the imperial examination and served as a minor official in Xiazhou as the Chief Secretary. Later, he gained fame for his calligraphy and was appreciated by Emperor Muzong, who appointed him as the Right Supplementary Officer and Court Scholar in the Hanlin Academy. He held successive positions, including Right Supervising Secretary, Military Affairs Commissary, Scholar of the Hongwen Academy, Imperial Secretary, Censor, and Minister of Works. In the third month of the fifth year of the Kaicheng era (0), he left the Hanlin Academy and was appointed as the Right Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. In the first year of the Xiantong era (0), at the age of eighty-three, he was enfeoffed as the Vice President of the Imperial Academy and Taizisi, and retired as a Guardian of the Heir Apparent, being granted the title of Earl of Hedong. He passed away in the sixth year of the Xiantong era () at the age of eighty-eight, posthumously honored as the Vice President of the Imperial Academy. This book introduces Liu Gongquan's representative work, the "Xuanmi Ta Stele," and provides detailed explanations and analyses of its basic strokes, radicals, and structural composition through illustrations. The content is rich and well-illustrated, with clear and easy-to-understand explanations. Readers can gain a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the "Liu Style," making it an excellent textbook for learning Liu-style regular script.